Joe Mauer placed on 15-day DL

[erik316wttn]

He has a nagging quad injury.

 

Sucks for the Twins, but they're one of those teams that always seems to find a way.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2862242

[Post Count Padder]

The age-less Mike Redmond taking over?

[cubs121]

this really sucks for the Twins... but, there still not going down.

[brinoch]

I think they should move Mauer to DH for the season. Over the course of the next year, they should also see if they can convert him to another position -- 3B or OF.

[cheapseats]

Stupid Twins.

[SouthSideRyan]

I think they should move Mauer to DH for the season. Over the course of the next year, they should also see if they can convert him to another position -- 3B or OF.

 

Am I missing something here?

[brinoch]

I think they should move Mauer to DH for the season. Over the course of the next year, they should also see if they can convert him to another position -- 3B or OF.

 

Am I missing something here?

 

Mauer's been having some real problems staying healthy because of leg injuries from catching. In particular, according to BP's Will Carroll:

 

...the news is getting even more troubling for Joe Mauer. Mauer will have an MRI to see exactly what's going on with his left leg; the pain is in his upper leg now, rather than the lower part where he had the stress reaction. Is there a connection here? Is this a squatting cascade? It's possible, but I couldn't tell you how or even if he's altered anything in his catching routine that would cause such a problem. Even if they aren't connected, we can safely treat this as another injury that catching either caused or exacerbated. The more Mauer is behind the plate, the more the Twins are risking being without one of the best, most valuable young commodities in the game.

 

If Mauer just physically can't take catching day in and day out, the smart thing to do is make him a DH. With Mauer's bat, keeping him in the line-up is more important than keeping him behind the plate.

[Balsa]

I believe Carroll called this one. He was talking about how they were using him more AFTER his injury this year behind the plate and less as a DH, which would have been easier on him.

[Butterscup1679666578]

They should've taken Prior instead. 8-[

[Careless]

I think they should move Mauer to DH for the season. Over the course of the next year, they should also see if they can convert him to another position -- 3B or OF.

 

Am I missing something here?

People have been saying since before he was drafted that a 6'5" catcher was a bad idea. This is especially true when it's someone who can hit well enough to be a plus at other positions.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'd agree that eventually he's going to have to be moved out and probably sooner rather than later, but I wouldn't rush to get a great bat out from a prime defensive position until I had to.

[cheapseats]

I'd agree that eventually he's going to have to be moved out and probably sooner rather than later, but I wouldn't rush to get a great bat out from a prime defensive position until I had to.

 

Yeah, but right before the season started, the Twins knew he had an injury that would be exacerbated by crouching, and yet they gave him minimal time at DH and minimal time off.

 

So it might be smart to keep him at catcher where his bat provides the most value, but it was stupid to do so in the short term because it practically guaranteed a trip to the DL.

 

Stupid Twins.

[Flames24Rulz]

I'd agree that eventually he's going to have to be moved out and probably sooner rather than later, but I wouldn't rush to get a great bat out from a prime defensive position until I had to.

 

Yeah, but right before the season started, the Twins knew he had an injury that would be exacerbated by crouching, and yet they gave him minimal time at DH and minimal time off.

 

So it might be smart to keep him at catcher where his bat provides the most value, but it was stupid to do so in the short term because it practically guaranteed a trip to the DL.

 

Stupid Twins.

 

It's the same organization that rushed Liriano back from his injury last year. I'm not really that surprised.

 

Gardenhire's not the brightest guy in the world.

[LetsGoCubs89]

in that draft we got prior, i thought it was a total steal because the twins were so dumb for passing him up, and now i kick myself realizing what we could have had in joe mauer.

[Guest]

This is also part of the danger in drafting 6'4" 225 lb Matt Wieters.

[Soriano12]

They should just move Mauer to one of the corner outfield spots or DH

[brinoch]

This is also part of the danger in drafting 6'4" 225 lb Matt Wieters.

 

Kevin Goldstein with BP thinks the Cubs will take Vitters, FWIW -- of course, provided that he's available.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

This is also part of the danger in drafting 6'4" 225 lb Matt Wieters.

 

On the other hand, Barrett is a pretty healthy guy and he's 6'3" 210 lb.

[CubColtPacer]

This is also part of the danger in drafting 6'4" 225 lb Matt Wieters.

 

On the other hand, Barrett is a pretty healthy guy and he's 6'3" 210 lb.

 

Wasn't Barrett a little plagued by injuries when the Cubs got him though?